Rail-shoe for portable tracks.



K. H. HANSEN.

RAIL SHOE FOR PORTABLE TRACKS.

APPLICATION HLED IAN. H, 1913.

1,201,725. Pzitenped Oct. 17,1916.

V I I I rinrrnn .sra'rns PA ram QFFICE.

KARL I-I. HANSEN, OF PITTSBURGH, IENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ORENSTEIN- ARTHUR KOPPEL 00., ACORPORATION OF GERMANY.

RAIL-SHOE FOR PORTABLE TRACKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARLII. HANsnN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and

resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Shoes for Portable Tracks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to rail;shoes for use more especially in connection with portable railway-tracks. These portable tracks are made up of rail sections with steel ties connecting same, the rails being spaced apart by the ties to give the desired gage. These track-sections are made just as large and as heavy as it is practical to handle conveniently'and when laying a railroad composed of these portable sections, it is necessary to provide a simple connection for the section such as a tongue and groove, or a dovetailed t 3e.

Ihe object of the present invention is to provide a rail-shoe so constructed as to en able the person or persons handling the track-sections to guide the forward end of the section being laid into proper relation with the outer end of the section already laid with accuracy and despatch, so that the labor of laying the track is reduced to a minimum and the operation of laying the track greatly facilitated.

To these ends my invention comprises the novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of'a section of track already laid, and a section being brought into position with reference to the section already laid, showing my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a like view with the joint completed; Fig. 3 is a plan view of my improved rail-shoe; Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on lines 4-4 and 55, respectively of Fig. 2. n

The numeral 2 designates a portion of a portable track-section which has been laid, the forward or outer .end of said track-section being provided with the shoes 3 and connected to the track-section by the bolts 4t passing through openings 5 formed in said shoe. The rail-shoe consists of the base 6 to receive the flange of the rail and the side portions 7 which are shaped to conform to the flange of the rail and are adapted to en- Specifieation of Letters Patent. Patented Oct, 17, 1916, Application filed January 11, 1912. Serial No. 741,595.

gage a portion of the web of the rail when the ra l is seated therein. The upper portlons 8 of the sides are flared outwardly to permit of the guiding of the rail section more readily therein.

At the forward end of the rail-shoe is the lip or shelf 9 which forms a support for the forward end of the track-section 10 when it is being brought into position to engage the track-section 2 already laid. The shelf 9 flares outwardly so as to present a wider portion at its outer end, to enable the operator to more readily bring the forward end of the track-section being laid to rest on said shelf. Furthermore I provide the outwardly-flaring flanges 9 on the shelf 9 which act as a guide for the entering tracksection. The rail-shoe 3 is further provided with the opening 11 in the base for the purpose fully hereinafter set forth.

In laying portable track-sections where my improved rail-shoe is employed, the operator lifts the track-section to be laid and standing in between the rails of same with the track-sections inclined downwardly rests the forward ends of the track sections upon the shelves of the rail-shoes as indicated in Fig. 1. This preliminary step of resting the track-sections upon the shelves of the rail-shoes relieves the operator of the labor and strain of making the connection where the connection is made direct without having anything to rest the rail ends on before bringing them into interlocking positions. It is of course a very simple matter to bring the ends of the rail-sections into position to rest upon the shelves 9, and when once in this posltion it is only necessary to advance the rail-section by sliding it along the shelf 9 and lowering the track-section into a horizontal position to slide the rail into the rail-shoe with the flange resting upon the base 6 and a portion of the web between the s des of the rail-shoe as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 4:. It must be borne in mind that when a track section is being held with one hand on each rail, it would be a difficult matter without the shelf 9 and guide flanges 9 to bring the rails into register; but by my invention, the connection can be made rapidly and without diiflculty. In advanc-' shoe. Inthis Way the fit of the rail-sections in close contact at their ends is assured and they can he Y ahnedvvlth great accuracy.

When the rail-sectionhas been adjusted in this manner in the Shoes of the preceding section, the fastening appliancesi'are applied to, securetherail sectionstogether, and in copies this patent may beobtagined for be laid side Walls adapted to closely engage the Webs of adjacent rails, having an outwardly flaring extension at one end beyond the main portion of the base of the shoe forming a preliminary rest for the rail about to said extension having low vertical flanges at the sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I, the said KARL H. HANSEN, have hereunto set my hand.

KARLH. HANSEN Witnessesz ROBERT C. TOTTEN, JOHN F. WILL.

flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D 0. a 

